


Ready

by ChristineThalassinou1990



Series: Pages of Our Friendship [4]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Male Friendship, Mercer Frey Needs A Hug, Thieves Guild, Thieves Guild (Elder Scrolls) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:13:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27674548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChristineThalassinou1990/pseuds/ChristineThalassinou1990
Summary: After a tragic event, Mercer has to step up and lead the Guild; but first he has to get through his grief and learn how to let others help him.
Relationships: Brynjolf & Mercer Frey
Series: Pages of Our Friendship [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2020616
Kudos: 6





	Ready

**Author's Note:**

> The basis of this fic is that Mercer's telling the truth. I don't outright hate Karliah, but she's definitely not my favourite, and if I have to choose between her and Mercer, I'd go for Mercer. Every. Damn. Time.

In the past few weeks, the Thieves Guild had been in a state of constant shock: their Guild master Gallus was murdered in cold blood by none else than his lover Karliah, who was a respected member of the Guild herself. And if it wasn't enough, she also injured Mercer, Gallus' second-in-command, when the Breton tried to intervene. After the deed, Karliah fled, and no one was able to track her down; not that they tried too hard.

When the first wave of shock dissipated somewhat, Delvin, Brynjolf, and the other high-ranking members were busy helping Mercer getting back up on his feet; everyone knew that Gallus wished him to be the next Guild master after his retirement or death, whichever would've come first. Perhaps that was the trigger of Karliah's actions, the fact that despite being Gallus' lover, he didn't trust her enough to leave the Guild in her hands.

Brynjolf, as he was crossing the Cistern after a long, hardworking, and worried night, decided to check on Mercer before going to sleep. The soon-to-be-the-new-Guild-master Breton recovered nicely from his injuries, but Brynjolf knew all too well that he wasn't alright at all emotionally. For most of the time, he didn't show it, especially not to the members he wasn't too close to, and that was the majority of the Guild. Mercer had only a few real friends, like Brynjolf and Delvin, but the others were just Guild mates to him, whom he had to take care of now that Gallus was dead.

To the Nord's surprise, he found Mercer in the small shrine to Nocturnal, the patron deity of thieves. The shrine itself was nothing more than an isolated alcove in the Cistern, with only a small statue of the goddess and a bench or two, but perhaps that was the very reason Mercer came here. It was a good place to hide, for not many thieves visited the shrine; being religious just wasn't in their nature.

"Hey, Merce" Brynjolf said quietly, settling next to his friend on the bench.

Even in the dim light of the sconces on the wall, Mercer looked exhausted and sad. There were dark circles under his eyes and days-old stubble covered his face, which couldn't completely hide the fresh, angry red scars on his right cheek; a parting gift from Karliah. Every time Brynjolf saw these scars, he wanted to hug and protect Mercer and gut Karliah in the same time.

"How're you?" he asked, however, he knew that Mercer wasn't too talkative even with his friends; it seemed the Breton simply didn't know how to deal with his pain, or how to ask for help to deal with it.

"I don't know" Mercer whispered, and he hugged his knees to his chest in an uncharacteristic display of vulnerability.

Brynjolf instinctively moved closer and hugged the smaller thief tight; and nothing made it more obvious that Mercer was not okay than the fact that the Breton didn't stop him.

They'd been sitting like this for a while when the redhead Nord suddenly felt Mercer trembling then heard a strangled sob escaping him. Brynjolf had a solid guess about the cause. Gallus' death was a shock for everybody, but the late Guild master was like a father figure for Mercer, the one who saved him from both the horrible orphanage in Riften and the streets, all of that when the Breton was only twelve years old. He grew up with Gallus and the Guild, so now he most probably felt like he was orphaned all over again.

"I miss him, too" Brynjolf muttered, stroking Mercer's back soothingly.

After twenty minutes or so, Mercer finally began calming down, but he still didn't want to leave the safe place in Brynjolf's arms; and the Nord held him with endless patience, ready to spend the whole day with him like this if he had to.

"I'm not ready for this, Bryn..." Mercer confessed, his voice cracking at the end of the sentence, and he was obviously fighting back his tears again. "I can't do this... I just can't."

"Yes you can. You're already doing it just fine" Brynjolf comforted him, hugging him more protectively. "And you're not alone. I'm here, Delvin's here, Vex's here... We'll help, I promise. It's gonna be okay."

Mercer wasn't in a condition to believe it just yet, he was still grieving and scared, but Brynjolf knew that with time and support, he'd be fine; and with him, the Guild, too, would be fine. They just needed time.


End file.
